Continuous feed lockstitch sewing machine



Now15, 1966 R. A. HAYES ETAL 3,285,211

CONTINUOUS FEED LOCKSTITCH SEWING MACHINE Filed Dec. 23, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 D: ROBERT A. HAYES 6b ROY LU. FLETCHER INVEMTORS ATTORNEYS 1966 R. A. HAYES ETAL CONTINUOUS FEED LOCKSTITCH SEWING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 23, 1965 ATTORNEYS Nov. 15, 1966 R. A. HAYES ETAL 3,285,211

CONTINUOUS FEED LOCKSTITCH SEWING MACHINE Filed Dec. 25, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 RQBERT A. H AYES A. PLETC HER (2 R OY INVENTORS BY /,1; MW

ATTORNEY j United States Patent 3,285,211 CONTINUOUS FEED LOCKSTITCH SEWING MACHINE Robert A. Hayes, Franklin Park, and Roy W. Fletcher,

Riverdale, Ill., assignors to Union Special Machine Company, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 332,622 Claims. (Cl. 112214) The following specification relates to novel improvements in a continuous feed lockstitch sewing machine in which there is both a needle feed of the material as well as continuously driven upper and lower feed rollers located rearwardly of the needle.

It is usual in such machines to provide for feeding the fabric after passing under the advancing needle, between upper and lower rollers which are provided with intermittent driving means. Such arrangements moreover are frequently dependent for their power upon the lower drive shaft by which the rotary hook is driven.

A consequence of this usual design is to impose an undesirable load upon the lower drive shaft. This also causes a vibration in the driving mechanism for the rotary hook.

Moreover it is well known that there is a lack of uniformity in the size of the stitches when operation of the rollers is intermittent and there is rapid acceleration. Under such circumstances the acceleration is such as to overthrow the feeding and thus effect an undesirable temporary increase in the length of stitch.

The provision of upper and lower feed rollers in conjunction with the needle lockstitch machine, in general has necessitated the provision of drive shafts which seriously interfere with the normal flow of the fabric over the cloth plate or surface of the base of the machine.

Another important consideration is the requirement that there be a uniform synchronization between the peripheral speeds of the upper and lower rollers.

One of the objects of this invention is to incorporate continuously driven rollers as a substitute for intermittently driven roller pairs. This has been found to permit an increase in operating speed and lighter running of the machine.

It is a further object of the invention to supply continuous feed rollers in supplementing the action of machines relying upon needle feed for advance of the material.

A still further object of the invention is to drive upper and lower rollers through gearing connected to the main shaft and free from interference with the lower drive shaft for the rotary hook. This will greatly relieve the normal load on the transmission belt from the main drive shaft to the rotary hook shaft. It will also prevent the latter from developing undesired vibration. Another incidental result is that there is thus a definite and material increase possible in the maximum operating speed of the sewing machine.

The improved design has the added advantage that it can be incorporated in a needle feed lockstitch sewing machine having a cylinder type arm for greater utility. This is exemplified by use in hemming trouser bottoms, waistbands, and the like.

Among the objects of the invention is the use with the upper feed roller of a flexible shaft providing an axial freedom of movement to follow the reciprocation of the presser bar.

Among the objects of the invention is the convenient mounting of the drive shafts of the rollers and the variable attendant gear reduction train outside of the vertical standard of the sewing machine.

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An incidental object of the invention is to locate the lower feed roller and its driving means within the base of the machine but capable of ready removal through the top of the latter whenever needed for adjustment or other purpose.

As illustrating the invention we have shown the preferred form by way of example on the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is side elevation, part of the standard being broken away and the base shown in vertical section on the line 11 on FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse elevational view;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 3--3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevation of the upper roller and its mounting;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of the same;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the lower roller and its mounting and FIGURE 7 is a rear elevation of the same.

Briefly considered, the invention includes the replacement of intermittent driving means for the upper and lower feed rollers with continuous driving means. These driving means are conveniently spaced away from the throat plate but at the same time outside of the vertical standard of the sewing machine. They are thus readily accessible for inspection, adjustment or replacement. Moreover, a maximum extent of the cloth plate remains unobstructed for the passage of the material being worked upon.

We have shown on the drawings a sewing machine of the lockstitch, needle feeding type, having a work supporting base 10. One end of the base supports the vertical standard 11 having an overhanging arm 12. A needle head 13 is mounted on the free end of the overhanging arm.

The base has a removable bottom pan 14 which forms a lubricant chamber 15. The pan is held in place by means of screws 16, 16, passing through bosses 17, 17. One boss is opposite an intermediate wall 18, while the other boss fits against a dependent flange 19 beneath the standard 11.

There is a flange 20 around the pan and this carries an oil-resistant gasket 22. By this means the pan 14 is held securely against the base 10 without leakage of the lubricant in the reservoir or chamber 15.

The pan 14 has feet 23, 23 by which the machine may be rested upon a stand, table or the like.

A main rotary drive shaft 24 is suitably journaled in a bearing sleeve 25 in the end wall of the vertical standard 11. The opposite end of the shaft 24 is journaled in the free end of the overhanging arm 12.

The end of the drive shaft 24 which projects beyond the side of the standard 11 is provided with a combined hand wheel and pulley 26 by which the main shaft 24 may be moved manually and by suitable power.

The above design of the general features of the sewing machine will be found to be the same as disclosed and described in the patent granted J. N. Covert, April 4, 1961, No. 2,977,910, to which reference is made for further detail.

The needle head 13 has a needle bar 27. This is of customary construction and operation for providing a sewing and feeding machine. This structure is the same as that shown and described in the patent granted R. A. Hayes, January 29, 1952, No. 2,583,735, to which reference is made for further details.

There is also provided a presser bar 28, arranged for vertical reciprocation in sleeve bearing 29 in the needle head as further illustrated in the Hayes patent.

The presser bar carries a yoke 30, having spaced parallel downwardly extending arms 31, 31. The yoke is attached to the presser bar 28 by means of set screw 32.

A shaft 33 is journaled horizontally in coaxial bearings 34, 34, in the arms 31, 31.

A serrated, toothed, or ribbed feed roller 35 is fixed on the shaft 33.

There is a transverse pin 36 connecting the lower ends of the arms 31, 31. This pin is held in place by screw threads 37, 37. A presser arm member 38 is loosely journaled on the pin 36. The arm member has a pair of upstanding arms 39, 40. The arm 40 has an integral extension 41. vA bar 42 is slidably carried in yoke arm 31. It has a stud 43 resting against arm 39.

The bar 42 passes through the upper portion of the arm 31 and on the opposite side carries a knurled adjusting nut 44. A compression spring 45 maintains adjustable pressure on the stud 43.

The presser bar 28 carries a pivoted spring held presser foot 46 by means of the stud 47. This structure will also be found described in the above Patent No. 2,583,735.

The end of the base 10 carries a housing 48 for a horizontally mounted rotary hook. The housing has at the top a flat throat plate 49 as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

The main drive shaft 24 has a fixed toothed pulley 51. A toothed belt 52 carried by the pulley 51, runs over a similar toothed pulley 53 on a lower drive shaft 54 by which the hook shaft 55 is rotated.

Separately from the drive for the lower shaft 54, the main drive shaft 24 carries a train of gears for the operation of the constantly rotating feed rollers. Beneath the drive shaft 24 is an intermediate shaft 57. This shaft is journaled in the standard 11 at 58 and on the opposite inner wall at 59. The shaft 57 carries a driven gear 60 .in mesh with the gear 56.

Fixed On the shaft 57 is a pinion 61.

A stationary stub shaft 62 is fixedly mounted in the outer wall of the standard 11 below and to one side of the shaft 57. The stub shaft 62 carries a gear 63. This gear is in mesh with the pinion 61 on the shaft 57.

Attached to the gear 63 is a pinion 64.

A driven shaft 66, journaled in bearings 67 and 68 in the walls of the standard 11, carries a gear in mesh with the pinion 64 on the shaft 62.

The base 10 carries a journal bearing 70 spaced inwardly from the inner wall of the standard 11. The hearing 70 supports a rotary stub shaft 71, with a flattened end 72 or the like.

The opposite end of the shaft 71 has a gear 73. This gear is in mesh with a gear 69 on the end of the shaft 66. This pair of gears can readily be removed and replaced by a pair having a different ratio, thus adapting the feeding of the rollers to a different length of stitch.

A coupling 74 is removably attached to the flattened end 72 of the shaft 71.

A second coupling 75 is removably attached to the flattened end of the shaft 33.

A flexible cable 76 connects the couplings 74 and 75. There is thus a certain amount of longitudinal adjustment or play permit-ted between the shafts 71 and 33.

The flexible cable is covered by a plastic tube or sheath 77. This is mounted upon the opposite couplings 74 and 75.

The yoke 30 carries a stripper wire 78. The ends of this wire are screwed to the upper portion of the yoke. The bight or loop 79 of stripper wire '78 extends part way around the rollers 35, as shown in FIGURE 5, and sepa- 'rates the fabric when sewn from further contact with the roller 35.

The shaft 71 carries a gear 80.

A bearing sleeve 81 is fitted within a channel or recess in the top of the base 10. This sleeve forms a journal for shaft 82. The shaft rotates in shaft bearings 83 and 84 in sleeve 81. Opposite the gear 80, the shaft 82 carries a meshing gear 85.

A cover plate 86 removably screwed to the top of the base 10, holds the sleeve 81 in desirable position substantially below the channel plane of the base 10.

The shaft 82 extends to a point below the upper roller 35. At this point the shaft 82 carries a ribbed roller 87. A guard plate 88 is attached to the side wall of the housing 48 as shown in FIGURE 7. The guard has curved hooks 89 and 90 extending partly around the shaft 82. This insures adequate separation of the cloth after being sewn, from the ribbed surface of the roller 87.

A removable cover plate 91 is fitted over the gears 69, 73, and and associated parts.

By the arrangement described above, there is provided a sewing machine of the needle feeding type in conjunction with continuous feed rollers for the fabric. This avoids vibration which is incidental to intermittent roller movement. It also establishes accurate feed with that of the needle. It will be evident that sudden changes in speed such as acceleration will not affect the roller feed which will of course conform closely to that of the needle.

By drawing power for the roller feed direct from the main drive shaft, the load is minimized and made independent of the drive of the rotary hook. Moreover, the load on the drive belt for the rotary'hook is lessened. Here again is avoidance of vibration on the mechanism incidental to the operation of the rotary hook.

The improved design locates the gearing for driving the feed rollers in part outside of the 'vertical standard. This allows interchangeability of parts by which both feed rollers can be given a rate of feed different from that of the remaining mechanism, such as the needle and horizontal rotary hook. In like manner, the gearing can be changed to provide a different ratio between the feed of the upper and the lower rollers.

In another respect the design maintains a full clearance over the unrestricted cloth plate by locating the gearing of the upper and lower rollers at a point close to the vertical standard.

The lower feed roller is connected to the gearing in the base of the structure and at the surface of the cloth plate. It is thus prevented from obstructing the clearance. At the same time it may be readily removed when desired.

The flexible drive shaft for the upper roller is quite desirable. It again prevents the development of vibration and of wear due to misalignment. The couplings of the flexible drive permit slight extensibility. This compensates for slight changes in the position of the rollers at one end and relative to the flexibly mounted gears at the opposite ends.

This arrangement of parts may of course be subject to minor variation in design, materials and proportions without, however, departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a sewing machine having a base, a throat plate, a vertical standard and an overhanging arm, a needle head on the arm with an oscillating needle feed, a presser bar, a main drive shaft for the needle head, a driven shaft journaled in the standard and extending horizontally outwardly therefrom and geared to the drive shaft, a connecting shaft journaled on the base adjacent the standard, drive connections between said driven shaft and connecting shaft, an upper feed roller journaled on the presser bar, a flexible shaft connecting said roller with the connecting shaft, a lower shaft journaled in the base with its axis disposed well below the level of the throat plate and operatively connected with the connecting shaft, and a lower feed roller on the lower shaft in engagement with the upper feed roller.

2. In a sewing machine having a base, a vertical standard and an overhanging arm, a needle head on the arm with an oscillating needle feed, a presser bar, a main drive shaft for the needle head, a driven shaft journaled in the standard and extending horizontally outwardly therefrom and geared to the drive shaft, a connecting shaft journaled on the base adjacent the standard, drive connections between said driven shaft and connecting shaft, an upper feed roller journaled on the presser bar, a flexible shaft connecting said upper feed roller with the connecting shaft, said base having an upwardly opening recess therein, a bearing sleeve removably mounted in said recess and having shaft bearings therein, a lower shaft journaled in said shaft bearings and operatively connected with the connecting shaft, and a lower feed roller on the lower shaft in position for engagement with the upper feed roller.

31 In a sewing machine having a base, a throat plate, a vertical standard and an overhanging arm, a needle head on the arm with an oscillating needle feed, a presser bar, a main drive shaft for the needle head, a driven shaft journaled in the standard and extending horizontally outwardly therefrom and geared to the drive shaft, a connecting shaft journaled on the base adjacent the standard, drive connections between said driven shaft and connecting shaft, an upper feed roller journaled on the presser bar, a sheathed flexible shaft connecting said roller with the connecting shaft, a lower shaft removably journaled in a recess in the base and with its axis well below the level of the throat plate and operatively connected with the connecting shaft and a lower feed roller on the lower shaft in engagement with the upper feed roller.

4. In a sewing machine having a base, a throat plate, a vertical standard and an overhanging arm, a needle head on the arm with an oscillating needle feed a presser bar, a main drive shaft for the needle head, a driven shaft journaled in the standard and extending horizontally outwardly therefrom and geared to the drive shaft, a connecting shaft journaled on the base adjacent the standard, drive connections between said driven shaft and connecting shaft, an upper feed roller journaled on the presser bar, couplings on the connecting shaft and on the upper feed roller, a flexible shaft connecting the couplings, a lower shaft removably journaled in a recess in the base and with its axis well below the level of the throat plate and operatively connected with the connecting shaft, and a lower feed roller on the lower shaft in engagement with the upper feed roller.

5. In a sewing machine having a base, a vertical standard and an overhanging arm, a needle head on the arm with an oscillating needle feed, a presser bar, a main drive shaft for the needle head, a driven shaft journaled in the standard and extending horizontally outwardly therefrom and geared to the drive shaft, a connecting shaft journaled on the base adjacent the standard, drive connections between said driven shaft and connecting shaft, an upper feed roller journaled on the presser bar, a flexible shaft connecting said upper feed roller with the connecting shaft, said base having an upwardly opening recess therein, a bearing sleeve removably mounted in said recess and having shaft bearings therein, a lower shaft journaled in said shaft bearings and gear coupled to the connecting shaft, and a lower feed roller on the lower shaft in position for engagement with the upper feed roller.

6. In a sewing machine having a base, a throat plate, a vertical standard and an overhanging arm, a needle head on the arm with an oscillating needle feed, a presser bar, a main drive shaft for the needle head, a hook shaft in the base, means to rotate the hook shaft from the main drive shaft, a driven shaft journaled in the standard and extending horizontally outwardly therefrom and geared to the drive shaft, a connecting shaft journaled on the base adjacent the standard, drive connections between said driven shaft and connecting shaft, an upper feed roller journaled on the presser bar, a flexible shaft spaced above and parallel to the base and connecting said roller with the connecting shaft, a lower shaft removably journaled in a recess in 6 the base above the hook shaft and with its axis well below the level of the throat plate and operatively connected with the connecting shaft, and a lower feed roller on the lower shaft in engagement with the upper feed roller.

7. In a sewing machine having a base, a vertical standard and an overhanging arm, a needle head on the arm with an oscillating needle feed, a presser bar, a main drive shaft for the needle head, a driven shaft journaled in the standard and extending horizontally outwardly therefrom and geared to the drive shaft, a common connecting shaft journaled on the base adjacent the standard, drive connections between said driven shaft and the connecting shaft, an upper feed roller journaled on the presser bar, a flexible shaft connecting said upper feed roller with the connecting shaft, said base having a longitudinal recess therein opening upwardly through the uppermost surface of the base, a bearing sleeve mounted in the recess and having a shaft bearing in each end thereof, a lower shaft journaled in said shaft bearings, a cover plate removably secured to the base over said recess and removably securing the sleeve in the recess, gearing between said two last named shafts and a lower feed roller on the lower shaft in position for engagement with the upper feed roller.

8. In a sewing machine having a base, a vertical standard and an overhanging arm, a needle head on the arm with an oscillating needle feed, a presser bar, a main drive shaft for the needle head, a hook shaft in the base, a drive belt connecting the hook shaft with the main drive shaft, a driven shaft journaled in the standard and extending horizontally outwardly therefrom and geared to the drive shaft, a connecting shaft journaled on the base adjacent the standard, drive connections between said driven shaft and connecting shaft, an upper feed roller journaled on the presser bar, a flexible shaft connecting said upper feed roller with the connecting shaft, said base having a longitudinaly recess therein opening upwardly through the uppermost surface of the base, a bearing sleeve mounted in the recess and having a shaft bearing in each end thereof, a lower shaft removably journaled in said shaft bearings and operatively connected with the connecting shaft, a cover plate removably secured to the base over said recess and removably securing the sleeve in the recess, and a lower feed roller on the lower shaft in position for engagement with the upper feed roller.

9. The sewing machine structure defined in claim 2 wherein the removably mounted bearing sleeve is held in the base recess with the axis of the journaled lower shaft well below the upper surface of the base by a removably mounted recess cover plate.

10. The sewing machine structure defined in claim 2 wherein the removably mounted bearing sleeve is held in the base recess with the axis of the journaled lower shaft well below the upper surface of the base by a removably mounted recess cover plate, the connecting shaft being disposed wholly without the standard and with the axis thereof and that of the flexible shaft in generally parallel relation with the axis of the lower shaft, and there being included a removable housing supported on the base and extending over the connecting shaft its bearing and its driving connections with the driven shaft and the lower shaft.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,259,996 3/1918 Kinder 112-203 2,317,762 4/1943 Hale 112214 2,583,735 1/1952 Hayes 1l2-2l4 2,730,977 '1/ 1956 Hayes et al 112-214 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD J. SCANLAN, Examiner. 

1. IN A SEWING MACHINE HAVING A BASE, A THROAT PLATE, A VERTICAL STANDARD AND AN OVERHANGING ARM, A NEEDLE HEAD ON THE ARM WITH AN OSCILLATING NEEDLE FEED, A PRESSER BAR, A MAIN DRIVE SHAFT FOR THE NEEDLE HEAD, A DRIVEN SHAFT JOURNALED IN THE STANDARD AND EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY OUTWARDLY THEREFROM AND GEARED TO THE DRIVE SHAFT, A CONNECTING SHAFT JOURNALED ON THE BASE ADJACENT THE STANDARD, DRIVE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SAID DRIVEN SHAFT AND CONNECTING SHAFT, AN UPPER FEED ROLLER JOURNALED ON THE PRESSER BAR, A FLEXIBLE SHAFT CONNECTING SAID ROLLER WITH THE CONNECTING SHAFT, A LOWER SHAFT JOURNALED IN THE BASE WITH ITS AXIS DISPOSED WELL BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE THROAT PLATE AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH THE CONNECTING SHAFT, AND A LOWER FEED ROLLER ON THE LOWER SHAFT IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE UPPER FEED ROLLER. 